Somewhere over the Rainbow...

I just about caught this rainbow before it faded away...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You can see where it ends, just behind the Sanctuary dedicated to

the Assumption (Nativity of Our Lady/Tal-Herba) which was built

in 1610 in an area where an old church had existed even before the

1565 siege. In 1673 it was closed to public worship, then used as a

sacristy for the newly built church.

In the 1770's its altar, with the facade around the altar piece,

were covered in marble while a few years,

later it was dedicated by Bishop Labini on the 23rd March 1783.
Sometime before 1644, while retaining this small Marian shrine,

another church, dedicated to the Nativity of our Lady,

was built in front of its main entrance.
Today hardly anything remains of the 1610 church.

The image of Our Lady was crowned on the 7th August 1910.

Later, in 1849, it was declared a public oratory.
Again the church was enlarged on a cruciform plan during the 1920s.

Quite a Pot of Gold

that never seems to run out of Blessings!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My Tooth Adventure!

Are you afraid of the dentist? I know it's not anyone's favourite place for sure BUT I am always so scared to go, even for a cleaning! I have changed quite a few dentists too! This was my latest adventure with having to go to the dentist, this time to have an extraction, my very first too and I think I did very well considering...read about it here in my FUN verses. I am so glad it's over but really, I feel so confident now I am ready to schedule my next cleaning appointment with confidence. God bless my new dentist!

My wisdom tooth was throbbing

Too often and too much,

I tried to ease the pain

With a gentle soothing touch.

It did ease off for a little while

Then was back in full force,

So painkillers had to step in

And they did help lots of course.

Into the third day it persisted

So ice packs were applied

But the pain intensified

And I almost cried!

Since the dentist's clinic

Is not my favourite place,

I had to pluck up courage

'Twas something I had to face!

I made an appointment

And was soon sitting in 'the chair'

A new dentist, a new clinic...

For me that was quite a dare.

He said it had to come out...

'What? Now? Oh gosh!' said I,

'Relax, sit back,' the dentist said,

I thought that I would die!

Efficiently he reassured me

And had the area frozen soon.

The discomfort was quite minimal

To the situation I did attune.

I might have winced a little

But the job he did so well

My tooth was out in a jiffy

To my pain I bid farewell!

I was so happy and quite thrilled

When I got up to leave;

With happy smiles and heartfelt thanks

I left in disbelief.

Why had I feared dentists?

Was my reaction overdone?

Maybe not, but I know for sure

For me this dentist is the one!

Doreen Scerri © 2010

A Fall Bookmark for You

I love Autumn, yes I know I have probably mentioned it before.

The feeling of earth going to sleep and the time to prepare for another

lovely season inspires me.

I was playing a word game recently with my on-line friends

on a craft forum I visit and we came up with such meaningful words

that when put together depict a fantastic picture of fall.

I thought 'Why not put them on a bookmark?'

So I got to work and designed this bookmark to share here with you all.

Here it is, hope you like it and can make good use of it too : )

Every season with all the wonderful changes,

we realise we have so much to be

thankful for ~ maybe this would make a nice token

to give out at Thanksgiving!

Enjoy!

The Hand of God

My daughter and I were on the rooftop

not quite an hour ago to get our laundry down

and I commented on how lovely the clouds were.

My daughter was quick to say that they could very well be

my next subject to write about, 'about how the hand of God paints the skies'.

I don't think I need write a poem, she wrote it herself for me,

I just took the pictures.

Thanks Chelle : )

In Thankful Praise

Opening our eyes is a miracle

Hearing the alarm is too,

Lord may I always give you Thanks

My whole day through.

For the cereal in my bowl

Or hot buttered toast,

For hands that helped to make them

And for our lovely Sunday roast.

For our children's smiles

Their ups and downs,

Our failures, our successes,

Our grins and frowns.

For the sun that wraps us

In its warm embrace,

For the rain that refreshes

Our tired face.

For flowers and fields

That colour our world,

For birds' tweet and twitter

Above the traffic din heard.

For a true friend's gesture

Or a good deed done

May I truly be thankful

When the day is done!

May we rise above ourselves

In thankful praise so true,

You're always there to guide us

Our world goes round because of

.....You!

Doreen Scerri © 2010

Welcome Fall

On our Mediterranean island we do not witness the fantastic display of the leaves changing colour with the season changing from summer to fall. But here we do have other signs that sing to our senses. After the hot, humid and stifling summers I always long for autumn (fall) and when the first signs are seen, felt and enjoyed, I always hope the season is here to stay since summer seems to try and linger through this season right into the first part of our winter!

No leaves are falling
No magnificant change of colours
But I can feel a certain lull in the air:
the change is coming...
With a pitter patter of rain
Coming down my window pane,
The unmistakable scent of the first downpour
Refreshes the stifled summer air
As it turns slightly chilly,
Bidding the season farewell,
Refreshing my soul
Giving me hope that summer is fading away.
Welcome fall ~ please stay!

Doreen Scerri © 2010

A Tribute to Dad On Father's Day

So many days I think of you...

So many days we spent

So many hours happily

With no thought of sorrow

or of the morrow,

just having plain fun,

enjoying moments of laughter

and making sweet memories as

you watched me walk, then run!

Days turned to years,

so many...

and yet each is so special still,

for Dad you did your part and

so much more,

and your role you did fulfill.

I thank you for the memories

for sharing the smiles and tears too

For Dear Dad I have to say

There are not many quite like You!

~Doreen~

Father's Day 2010

Message in Haiku ~ Earth Day 22nd April, 2010

Sea, air, water, land...

Earth day two thousand and ten -

Have you done your part?

Click on the Earth Day 2010 logo for the official Earth Day Campaign.

Scroll down the page to Discussions for information on a chance to win $1,000

More Haiku...

Morning has broken

Light filters through the shutters:

Good morning Jesus.

Image from shared files

Thoughts in Haiku

As Lava erupts from the volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier,
I think in Haiku (this is my very first Haiku)...

Volcano erupts
Monster ash cloud moves south east -
Passengers stranded.

Pictures are from my shared files

Today I lit a candle

Today I bid farewell to Connie, a lovely person,
a sweet acquaintance and a dear neighbour.
In her memory I lit a candle and wrote this poem which I share here...

Today I lit a candle
For someone I hardly knew,
From what I've learned today of her
She was one of a chosen few.
With her kind and gentle smile,
A silent wave, a nod,
With a quiet disposition,
She was a virtuous woman of God.

I'd have loved to have known you better
Yet your silence and example says all,
It seems you were so well prepared
And always ready for your call.
In your memory I light this candle
That we may never be apart
For in your passing to eternal life,
Your light will shine within our heart.

~Doreen Scerri~

If you click on the candle above, you will be taken to a lovely site where you can light your own candle and spend some quiet time.

Sweet Inspiration

I dream...and imagine,

A little every day...

Of what I'd like to do,

And then slowly but surely

Work towards making it all come true!

A picture, a bird, a word, a tree,

All inspiring, all free,

A poem, a painting, sweet music to my ears,

Caress my mind's eye,

Calming my fears...

Whenever I least expect it,

There it is for me to see...

I try and grab the moment ~

It's been left there just for me!

Doreen Scerri ©

Thank you so much my sweet friend I LOVE PINK for this lovely friendly award.

This is my very first award on this blog and I accept it happily!

I have not been accepting awards on my other blog recently due to the time it takes me to post awards and contact my blogging friends who, it seems,

have the same problem as I have.

Since I have not posted here in a while I will try and connect via this award with this friendly thought...

Some people come into our lives, leave footprints on our hearts and we are never the same.

-Unknown-

Rules to accept this award are...

1. Link to the person who gave it to you.

2. List 10 things that make you happy.

3. Pass it on to 10 happy bloggers

4. Notify the Nominees about this Happy Award.

10 Things that make me happy are...

*When I spend time with my family.

*When I write and when my writing makes people happy.

*When I craft and/or sell my crafts.

*My favourite music makes me happy.

*When my clothes fit well!

*I love taking pictures.

*Reading!

*When I find time to appreciate nature.

*Every time I find the energy to go walking.

*Whenever I see my family happy!

I would like to award this award to all my blogging friends who visit my blogs,

please pick up this award and post it on your blog.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

God's Miracle of Life

Have you ever found yourself walking quietly in a field, a garden or the countryside? How soothing to have your thoughts clear, you feel refreshed and renewed. It is like you are rediscovering yourself and your special place in this world...you are alone and yet you are not. You feel God's presence and every significant detail around you is important...the leaves on the evergreens, the bare branches waiting their turn to be dressed with lovely foliage, the growing plants, old trunks reaching up to the sky...and among all of this you are re-born!

And if you cannot reach your own 'garden' space, you can still experience these special moments...just find a quiet chair, sofa, rocker, or your favourite reading corner, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, then imagine yourself walking along a quiet path among beautiful flowers, shrubs, trees, and experience God's miracle of life as you feel how important and special you are in His Garden of Love.

Doreen

Smile quote by Yours truly...

These words came to my mind this past weekend and have resurfaced in my subconscious so I thought of sharing them here...

Let yourself smile before you say anything,
it might make all the difference in what you say and how you say it.

~Doreen~

Happy Birthday our sweet angel in heaven

January 13th was the 25th Birthday of our first born, whom we will never forget, our Matthew, our sweet angel in heaven. Here are a few verses I wrote to celebrate his life with his Creator, I know we will be reunited one day, until then dear son we know you look down on us and smile.

You're an angel in heaven

It seems you've always been:

Your life on earth ended

Quite before it did begin.

We have never stopped loving you

And think of you each day

How proud we would have been of you

Of what you'd have become today?

A teacher, a doctor,

a painter, who knows?

We sometimes wonder what it is

That you would have chose.

For three weeks we had you,

Three weeks we cherished you,

Held you, loved you

and prayed you'd make it through...

But God had other plans

Ones we knew nought about,

Your name was in His Book of Life,

Of that we had no doubt.

And now sweet child we think of you

As twenty-five years have passed awhile

As we send you Birthday Hugs in heaven

You look down on us and smile.

~ Mum and Dad ~